“Pray without ceasing…” 1 Thessalonians 5:17
The privilege of every Christian is a hidden blessing that much of the world has not experienced before. It is the privilege of prayer. It is amazing to realize that the Creator of all that has been made takes the time to listen to His creation, and furthermore, wants to interact with mankind.
The prayer of a believer is so much more than a blessing over a meal or a request for safety when we lay our heads to rest at night. It is a time and place that we connect with our Savior, the One who loves us more than we will ever fully comprehend.
Hebrews 4:15 reminds us, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Not only do we have a Creator that desires our companionship, but we have a Savior that walked on earth and experienced the emotions mankind faces every day. When we go to Him in prayer and share our joys, our sorrows, our celebrations, our disappointments and heartaches, He relates because His earthly ministry allowed Him to partake of the feelings of humanity. Jesus knows how it feels to be lied about and betrayed. He understands how it feels to deeply love the lost world in need of the Savior. He experienced the joys of seeing families rejoice when a sick loved one was raised out of the grip of certain death. Our human emotions and feelings are not foreign to Jesus. Not only can we tuck ourselves away for a time of prayer with Him, but we can pour our hearts out to Him unashamedly, and with the knowledge that He cares and He understands. Life will deliver each of us situations that cause us to feel like our world is crumbling, but also the joy of our Lord and His glory that cannot be fully explained in words. Jesus wants our companionship and is ready to hear about all of the emotions welled up within our hearts.
As if the blessings of prayer already mentioned weren’t amazing enough, talking to our Lord additionally opens up the opportunity and possibility for miracles and deliverance. Hope is only a breath away when we remember Who we can go to with every situation. Whether our answers to prayer come in the form of a miracle or the strength to face our disappointments, Jesus is there to walk with us through the good and the bad, every step of the way. Many of us our blessed with dear friends that walk with us through our trials, but in most situations, they are powerless to change our circumstances. Not only with Jesus walk beside us, He will also supply our needs when we need courage and strength to face each new day. What a loving and compassionate God we serve!
Friends, let us remember the privilege of talking to our Creator. He loves those He created and is waiting to hear from each of us.
